{"id":21316,"date":"2026-04-14T21:01:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T21:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/albanys-influence-wars\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T21:01:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T21:01:48","slug":"albanys-influence-wars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/albanys-influence-wars\/","title":{"rendered":"Albany\u2019s influence wars"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Gov.<\/p>\n

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 14<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

STONES AND GLASS STATEHOUSES:<\/b> Gov. Kathy Hochul has raked in almost $200,000 in campaign contributions from insurance companies as she pushes for a proposal she argues would help save both their policyholders \u2014 as well as those same companies \u2014 lots of money.<\/p>\n

But while reaping that campaign cash, Hochul has also attacked members of the Legislature for taking their own political contributions \u2014 and she is now arguing their political positions are tainted by those dollars in a way hers are not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m proud of what we’re doing,\u201d Hochul told reporters today at an unrelated event in the Capital Region. \u201cMoney has no influence in what we’re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the sticking points holding up the now two-weeks-late-and-counting state budget is Hochul\u2019s push to limit who can sue for damages when they\u2019re in an auto accident. Right now, even if the accident is your fault, you can still reap a reward. Limiting who can receive damages would save insurers money, and, in theory, cut monthly insurance rates for New York\u2019s millions of drivers, Hochul argues.<\/p>\n

But members of the Legislature \u2014 who often receive political donations from the state\u2019s trial lawyers, which represent plaintiffs in personal injury suits \u2014 say they\u2019re skeptical the push would equate to any real savings for New Yorkers, and they worry it would prevent injured people from receiving the money they deserve in court.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris made waves in the Capitol when he blamed Hochul for acting like an obstructionist in state budget negotiations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes three parties to agree, and the person who proposed the budget seems less than willing to appreciate that,\u201d Gianaris said on the Senate floor. He later told reporters Hochul\u2019s negotiating strategy is \u201ca one-way street\u201d when it comes to auto insurance reforms.<\/p>\n

A few hours later, Hochul\u2019s spokesperson Kara Cumoletti fired back: \u201cIf Sen. Gianaris is interested in making progress, he should urge his colleagues to support the governor\u2019s efforts to lower auto insurance rates, rather than defending a broken system that benefits trial lawyers \u2014 one of the top donors to the Senate Campaign Committee he controls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ouch.<\/p>\n

Despite her spokesperson insinuating that those looking for Gianaris\u2019 motivations need only follow the money, Hochul insisted her<\/i> political contributions have nothing to do with her stances, which are driven by a tireless fight for affordability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was responding to criticism that is trying to infer that we are the roadblocks; that we\u2019re not trying to cooperate,\u201d Hochul said today, explaining Cumoletti\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n

Since 2021, Hochul has received $194,250 from auto insurance companies and insurance industry associations, per public records. The state Democratic Party, which Hochul controls, also raked in $70,250 from those same groups between 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf interests are aligned, then those interests are also aligned with the interests of every single New Yorker who wants to see their rates go down,\u201d Hochul said when asked about those donations. \u201cI don\u2019t think the trial lawyers\u2019 interests are aligned with New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New York State Trial Lawyers Association President Andrew Finkelstein responded in a statement accusing Hochul of getting \u201cinto bed with the insurance industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNYSTLA will fight both in the courthouse and out to keep the doors of justice open to everyone, not just the wealthy few,\u201d Finkelstein said. \u201cAlbany is right to pull back the covers and expose who this plan really serves.\u201d \u2014<\/b> Jason Beeferman<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

From the Capitol<\/h3>\n

\"Legislators,<\/p>\n

NO CONCERNS OVER RETIREMENTS: <\/b>Hochul brushed off any concerns caused by a rash of legislators who have announced their retirements after filing paperwork to get on the ballot, effectively letting them choose their own successors in some cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe process is what it is,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cThe vast, vast majority of the time, the system is such that candidates plan to run, they plan to stay, they petition to get on the ballot, and, again, if something unforeseen happens, there is a mechanism that\u2019s in place, the committee on vacancies, that allows that person to be filled. I\u2019m not concluding there\u2019s something sinister about a process that has been in place for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republican state Sen. Jack Martins bowed out of a battleground Nassau County district over the weekend. He previously denied rumors he might retire \u2014 but announced his plans to do so after submitting petitions that let area party leaders select Assemblymember Jake Blumencranz to run in his stead.<\/p>\n

In the Cortland area, Assemblymember Jeff Gallahan pointed to health concerns when announcing his retirement. He\u2019s giving his spot on the Republican line to Mark Benjamin, the community relations director for a landfill.<\/p>\n

And Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced her retirement last week. Her spot on the ballot will go to Buffalo Common Council Member Leah Halton-Pope, and the party will avoid the primary that likely would\u2019ve occurred had Peoples-Stokes announced her plans earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Crystal Peoples-Stokes was planning to stay longer,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if this is some sort of conspiracy to do something untoward. She\u2019s following the laws, and this is how it is. It\u2019s actually pretty rare. It doesn\u2019t happen with great regularity.\u201d \u2014 Bill Mahoney<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

HOCHUL DEFENDS POPE:<\/b> Hochul said President Donald Trump\u2019s attacks on Pope Leo XIV are \u201cabhorrent\u201d in emotional comments to reporters today.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pope is a man of peace,\u201d said Hochul, a Catholic. \u201cHe has a right to speak out and wise leaders would be right to listen to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Trump, following a veiled critique from Leo that Jesus \u201cdoes not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,\u201d wrote on Truth Social that \u201cPope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.\u201d Later that day, the president posted a picture that depicted himself as Jesus, an image he deleted the following morning.<\/p>\n

Hochul told reporters that \u201cJesus would be rather shocked at what\u2019s happening these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Pope deserves more respect and for someone to release an image that equates the president of the United States with Jesus \u2014 or anyone with Jesus \u2014 is just reprehensible to, hopefully, everybody,\u201d she said. \u2014 Jason Beeferman<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

FROM CITY HALL<\/h3>\n

\"City-run<\/p>\n

BREAD AND ROSES:<\/b> The mayor unveiled new details about five city-run grocery stores he plans open by the end of his term \u2014 a key campaign promise that has kindled strong feelings from opponents.<\/p>\n

The stores will sit on city-owned land, absolving them of paying market-rate rent and property taxes. In exchange, the yet-to-be selected private operators will be contractually required to offer several staples like bread and eggs at a fixed price below the New York City average.<\/p>\n

How far below, though, the administration still has not determined.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I can tell you is that when New Yorkers come to city-run grocery stores, they will see a clear price differential when it comes to those essentials,\u201d Mamdani said at La Marqueta, the site of a $30 million grocery store set to open in 2029.<\/p>\n

Unlike the East Harlem location, other city-run stores will not be built from the ground up, meaning they will open earlier. The first is set to welcome shoppers next year, for example.<\/p>\n

While the mayor is planning just five stores, the concept of government grocers has sparked heated backlash from the mayor\u2019s more moderate detractors. John Catsimatidis, owner of the supermarket chain Gristedes, threatened to close all of his stores if Mamdani won, a pledge he walked back after the democratic socialist\u2019s November victory. \u2014<\/i><\/b> Joe Anuta<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

BUSINESS AS USUAL:<\/b> New York City Council Member Farah Louis returned to work Tuesday after federal investigators raided her home and her sister\u2019s<\/a> amid a federal probe on bribery and fraud allegations.<\/p>\n

Louis, who has not been charged, appeared at a scheduled Zoning and Franchises subcommittee meeting, which she chairs.<\/p>\n

As part of the investigation that led to the indictment, prosecutors have questioned whether Louis and her sister, Debbie Esther Louis, accepted kickbacks in exchange for steering city funds to shelter provider BRAHGS Home Care, according to a search warrant.<\/p>\n

Louis directed more than $450,000 in city funds over five years to the nonprofit, according to city documents reviewed by<\/a> Gothamist.<\/p>\n

Louis left the building shortly after the hearing concluded and did not take questions. \u2014 Gelila Negesse\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL<\/h3>\n

\"Former<\/p>\n

D\u2019ESPOSIT-NO:<\/b> Former Rep. Anthony D\u2019Esposito will not be making a comeback bid for Congress against Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen in a battleground Long Island district.<\/p>\n

D\u2019Esposito, who is currently inspector general in the U.S. Labor Department, signaled his interest in returning to Congress<\/a> earlier this year \u2014 though it was unclear if he would quit his job in the Trump administration to do so.<\/p>\n

Last month at a House subcommittee hearing, he skirted questions about his congressional aspirations, and the politically powerful Nassau County Republican Committee backed John DeGrace<\/a>, a former Valley Stream mayor, as its nominee. DeGrace declined the nomination last week, leaving the possibility of a D\u2019Esposito return on the table.<\/p>\n

But D\u2019Esposito ruled it out in a statement Tuesday, the final day for local Republicans to choose a replacement candidate. He expressed his personal support for Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, whom he called a \u201cdear friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will continue serving as the 9th Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, working with our team nationwide to root out fraud and put those who steal from Americans behind bars,\u201d D\u2019Esposito said in the statement. \u201cIt is an honor to serve in President Trump\u2019s administration and on the Anti-Fraud Task Force led by Vice President JD Vance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more from Madison Fernandez in Blue Light News Pro<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

TRUMP BOOSTS BLAKEMAN:<\/b> The president emphasized his support for Republican Nassau County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman shortly after an appearance on Fox Business that was ridiculed by Hochul\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cBruce Blakeman, the highly respected and very popular Nassau County Executive, who is running for Governor, is surging in the New York State Polls,\u201d Trump wrote, after Blakeman appeared on Fox Business<\/a>. \u201cHe is one of the best politicians in the U.S. Watch him work his magic!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

About 30 minutes before Trump\u2019s post, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo and her partner pressed Blakeman on the following:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not seeing a lot of you, where have you been Bruce?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see enough of you. I need to start seeing you more on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you going to get New Yorkers out to actually vote for you, Bruce?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hochul\u2019s campaign mocked the appearance for Blakeman as \u201chumiliating.\u201d<\/p>\n

For his part, Blakeman responded to Bartiromo by saying New Yorkers are sick of the high cost of living in New York.<\/p>\n

New Yorkers \u201cwant a new governor, a governor that puts them first, cares about them, will cut their utility bills in half, will lower taxes, create job prosperity and create safer neighborhoods,\u201d Blakeman said. \u201cI have the experience, the ability and policies that people want.\u201d \u2014<\/i><\/b> Jason Beeferman<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

IN OTHER NEWS<\/h3>\n

\u2014 MATCH DAY:<\/b> Train tickets to MetLife Stadium from New York City are projected to cost more than $100 during World Cup games \u2014 despite regular prices of $12.90. (The New York Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 INDEPENDENT:<\/b> Scotia Mayor David Bucciferro rejected Republican backing for his incumbent bid with Scotia-Glenville GOP Chairman David Lindsay announcing plans to run a candidate against Bucciferro. (Times Union<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 RISK TOLERANCE:<\/b> Wall Street firms continue hiring and expanding in New York City at record levels, even as Mamdani advances a tax-the-rich agenda that some predicted would drive companies out of the city. (THE CITY<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Missed this morning\u2019s New York Playbook? We forgive you. <\/b>Read it here<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 14 STONES AND GLASS STATEHOUSES: Gov. Kathy Hochul has raked in almost $200,000 in campaign contributions from insurance companies as she pushes for a proposal she argues would help save both their policyholders \u2014 as well as those same companies \u2014 lots of money. But while reaping that campaign cash, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}